Scanning devices, such as scanners, copiers, fax machines, or the like are designed with an intended area for scanning that depends upon the focal point of the scanner's optics. In a flatbed scanner, the intended area for scanning contains the focal point of the scanner's optics, located just above the platen, and provides an optimal area for scanning images. When typical media types, such as paper, are placed flat on the platen, the target surface is in contact with the intended scanning area and the focal point is proximate to the media's target surface. The result of putting the target surface in this optimal area is a high quality image. However, atypical media, media that may require a media holder, a template, or other such framing structure, cannot lie flat against the platen. The target surface of these objects is thus located some distance above the platen. When this situation occurs, the target surface is not in the intended area. Instead, the focal point lies in the space between the medium and the scanner platen. Because the target surface is removed from the optimal area, the resulting image may be blurry and difficult to manipulate. This problem is even more apparent when a scanning application's optics are Selfoc®, or other gradient index (GRIN) lenses. Lenses of this type are able to place the focal point of the application's optics very near the surface of scanner platens. The very short focal lengths these lenses produce, greatly exacerbate the difficulties of scanning atypical media.
For the examples of photographic slides and film negatives, the typical scanning methods will not suffice because the target surface is held off of the scanner platen surface by the media holders and/or templates used. The result is that the target surface of these media will be outside the area the designers intended to be scanned. For flatbed scanners, designers typically provide an optimal area for scanning directly on the scanner platen surface and place the focal point of the scanner's optics directly above the scanner platen. But the presence of a template and a media holder hold these atypical media off of the platen surface and cause the focal point to fall well below target surface.